The day started with the recovery of a CTD, which went well, no issues. Then we had a one hour transit to the deployment site of the first mooring. This was just slightly boring as there was not enough time to do things like download the LADCP data. When we got to the station, everything was ready to go and then the pinger was turned on. It seemed alright at first, but was chirping strangely once the package was in the air (for deployment). We deployed and went back into the lab to start the data logger (we get real time data from the CTD itself). On observing the hydrophone display, the line was jumping all over the place after a few seconds, it just cut out all together. The decision was made to recover right away and to see if the problem could be fixed.</p>

The pinger seemed to function somewhat when given some percussive maintenance (we hit it). It was eventually taken off the rosette and taken into the lab. A quick disassembly revealed that oil was likely leaking from a reservoir where the sound is made. The pinger was switched with a spare, weaker signal but reliably working. The whole process took about 45 minutes.</p>

Breakfast today was good ol' fashioned pancakes. Quite delicious I might add. I also had my usual bowl of fruit and bacon.</p>

Due to mooring deployment activities, which I have very little involvement in, I have nothing really to do until 0400 tomorrow. As usual I went back to bed after my early morning watch.</p>

Lunch today was a tuna melt, with TWO kinds of cheese. I ate sitting at a table with one of the stewards (cooks/galley crew) and he didn't even know about the two cheeses until he took a bite. All of this cheese was a welcome surprise. With the cheese I had put on my salad, this was a 5 cheese lunch! Also served were buffalo chicken wings, though I didn't have any.</p>

I filled my time by browsing the media files on the ships share drive. I discovered video from one of the ROV cruises looking at an erupting underwater volcano. There were also images from the Challenger Deep.</p>

As far as I know, the mooring deployment went smoothly. Right up until the end that is. When it was time to drop the anchor the release mechanism worked as expected but the webbing managed to twist around in one the 'i' rings, getting caught. A pocket knife was quickly taped to a pole (using electrical tape) and the webbing was cut in a rather funny sawing motion. The weight soon disappeared into the deep.</p>

After a short steam the next mooring was put in with no issues that I'm aware of.</p>

Dinner was a rolled beef thing with cheese and mushrooms I think. There was also shrimp wrapped in that flakey thin bread used for baklava. I had two dinner rolls at the suggestion of one of the stewards.</p>

Sleep! Word on the ship (where rumors travel faster than any place I've even been) is that we are returning a day early 25th rather than the 26th as originally planned.</p>